About the Episode
About The Episode:
In this episode of Higher Ed Pulse, host Carrie Phillips sits down with Michele Ehrhart, Chief Communications Officer at the University of Memphis, for a forward-thinking conversation on AI, leadership, and change management in higher education. Michele shares the mindset shifts and practical leadership skills needed to help teams embrace innovation in an era where transformation feels constant. It’s a powerful dialogue about building a culture of experimentation and making the most of the tools you already have.
Key Takeaways
- AI in higher education should be seen as a tool to empower—not replace—humans
- Leaders must foster a culture that encourages experimentation and agility
- Most institutions underutilize the technology they already have access to
- Embracing AI begins with shifting team mindsets, not just adopting tools
- “Plan the work, work the plan” is a powerful mantra in fast-changing environments
- Higher ed marketers should test and iterate often before deploying campaigns
- Leadership in AI adoption means keeping teams grounded and purpose-driven
Episode Summary: AI Is an Enabler, Not a Replacer — Leadership Lessons from the University of Memphis
How should higher ed leaders frame AI for their teams?
Michele Ehrhart offers a fresh leadership perspective on how to guide teams through the growing buzz—and pressure—around AI in higher education. Drawing inspiration from communications thought leader Diane Schwartz, Michele emphasizes seeing AI not as something happening to us but something happening for us. This mindset shift helps her team stay optimistic and open to change, especially in an industry where transformation is the only constant.
By framing AI as the next evolution in how we connect and communicate—just like social media once was—Michele encourages her peers to embrace rather than fear the shift. The goal isn’t replacement; it’s enablement. And that starts with leadership modeling curiosity, not resistance.
What strategies keep teams grounded during rapid change?
With all the hype around AI and tech innovation, Michele keeps her team grounded with a mantra: Plan the work and work the plan. At the same time, she makes space for experimentation—knowing that marketing often involves testing ideas and seeing what resonates. She encourages teams to view AI as a safe sandbox: a place to test ideas and strategies before rolling them out to wider audiences.
This balance of structure and play is what creates true innovation cultures. Leaders must establish direction while giving their teams freedom to try, fail, learn, and evolve. Michele's leadership philosophy reinforces that AI is a tool to help marketers work smarter, not harder, and not a threat to their creativity or relevance.
What’s the most overlooked resource in higher ed marketing?
One of Michele’s most powerful insights is that institutions are sitting on gold mines—yet often overlook them. She cites research suggesting that 90% of higher ed platforms and technologies are underutilized. Rather than constantly hunting for new solutions, Michele urges fellow leaders to “shop their own closets” first. Many schools already have access to powerful tools—they just haven’t tapped into them deeply enough.This principle of maximizing what you already have can be transformative in tight-budget environments. Before you chase new software or subscriptions, revisit your CRM, your analytics dashboards, your existing AI tools, and your internal comms systems. Chances are, the answers you need are already at your fingertips.
About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Some of our favorites include Generation AI and Confessions of a Higher Education Social Media Manager.
Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
.svg)
.svg)
